When I Was a Young Man

1. When I was a young man I lived easy,
Oh the pleasure which I did see;
I married me a wife, she prov'd to me unkindly
Oh unkindly she prov'd to be.
At length I became a Servant unto her,
To milk her Cows and black her Shoes.
Women's ways the world cannot please them
A poor man's labour is never done.

2. The very first year that I was married
I scarce could get one half nights sleep;
With her heals (sic) she pealed my shins
Till the blood ran trickling dowin my feet
She rob'd me of my bed, she rob'd me of my blanket
Away then I was oblig'd for to run; '
Women's ways &c.

3. The second year that I was married,
She bore me a lovely son;
She sat me down to rock the cradle,
And then to learn me for to sing.
Sing loloby, loloby, loloby baby,
Loloby loloby this I sing;
Women's ways &c.

4. Thus bespoke his good old mother,
As she sat weeping all alone;
Saying son their's (sic) women plenty.
And why should you be ti'd to one?
Take the second one and try her,
If she no better be;
Take the third, the fourth, & the fifth one
Then your troubles will all be free.

5. Come all young men that's mind for to marry:
Be sure that you get a loving wife;
Do not marry my wive's (sic) sister,
For she'll torment you all your life.
Neither wed the old woman's daughter,
For she'll torment you for ever more;
Take from me my wife and welcome,
And then my troubles will all be o'er

From Contentment, Douglas
See also Rockin' the Cradle
RG